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E. H. EISENHART. MACHINE FOR BUNGHING MATCH STICKS.

No. 515,756. Patented Mar. 6, 1894 r a MN V fi /w w m 1i ma i .u x Illl L w :n llxfillllllll. w k w x K M V 5 f m i a we M 5% 8 W W UNITED STATES PATENT Fries,

EDWVARD H. EISENHART, OF YORK, N. Y.

MACHINE FOR BUNCHING MATCH-STICKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 515,756, dated March 6, 1894. Application filedApril 12,1893. Serial No, 469,998. (No model.)

useful Improvements in Machines for Bunching Match-Sticks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for bunching match-sticks or splints, particularly that type wherein a rising and falling'hopper bottom is employed in connection with a notched or toothed cylinder or drum which rotates partially in the hopper, as in my application for Letters Patent,filed January 10, 1893, Serial No. 458,535.

In prior machines of the character alluded to, one of the tapes or hands used to wind or roll the match sticks or splints into a hunch is passed around and so applied to the notched or toothed cylinder or drum as to remove the sticks or splints therefrom, but this construction renders it inconvenient to thread the machine as it must be each time the tapes are replaced to wind or roll a fresh bunch.

The objects of my invention are to facilitate threading the winding or rolling tapes of the machine; to avoid passing one of the winding or rolling tapes around the notched or toothed cylinder or drum; and to provide novel means for stripping or removing the sticks or splints from the notched or toothed cylinder or drum, and conveying them horizontally from the hopper to the winding or rolling tapes, whereby the sticks or splints can be conveyed to any extent desired away from the hopper and notched cylinder or drum before engaging the winding or rolling tapes or hands.

To accomplish all these objects my inven tion involves the features of construction and the combination and arrangement of devices hereinafter described and claimed, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in. which-- Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a match bunching machine embodying my invention; and Fig. 2 is a detail plan view, showing the endless belts or hands, the supporting cylinders or drums therefor, and portions of the winding or rolling tapes.

In order to enable those skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will now describe the same in detail, referring to the drawings wherein- The numeral 1 indicates a main frame having at its top portion fixed Walls 2 and 3, which, in connection with the movable wall 4, block 5, and bar 6 constitute a hopperin which the match sticks are placed. The cylinder or drum 7 rotates partially in the hopper, and its periphery is provided with notches or teeth to take the match sticks one at a time from the hopper. The cylinder or drum is mounted on a shaft 8 having a spur-gear 9 driven in any suitable manner by the gearwheel 10.

The main frame 1 is provided with a horizontal supplementary frame 12, in the outer end portion of which is journaled a cylinder or drum 13, and each cylinder or drum is provided with two annular grooves 14: to receive endless belts or bands 15, which may be of any construction suitable for the conditions required. As here shown the endless belts or hands are provided with corrugated surfaces for the purpose of conveying the match sticks or splints, the construction being such that the sticks or splints taken from the hopper by the notched cylinder ord rum 7 are stripped or removed therefrom by the endless belts or bands, and are conveyed horizontally to any extent desired, and then delivered to the winding or rolling tapes 16 and 17. Thetapeorband 16 is carried by a suitable roller 18 and passes around a guide-roller 19 journaled in a suitablesupport QOeXtending from the main frame 1. From the guide-roller 19, the tape 16 runs horizontally parallel with the endless belts or hands 15, and passes around the cylinder or drum 13 to the winding roller 21 which is mounted in the upper end of a pivoted or swinging arm 22, provided with a weight 23, the tendency of which is to constantly press the winding roller 21 in a direction toward the cylinder or drum 13.- The lower tape, 17 is carried bya roller 23 mounted on the pivoted or swinging arm 22, and said tape extends around a circumferential groove 2a in a ICC) sticks or splints.

inder or drum 7 takes the match sticks or two belts or bands 15 and engaging one end of said tape 17 with the winding roller 21. The tape l6ris conveniently threaded into the machine by simply passing it under the guideroller 19 and connecting its extremity with the winding roller 21. This specific construction andarrangement materially simplify the threadingof the winding and rolling tapesinto themachine,as mustbe done each time theyare replaced for winding a fresh bunch of match The notched or toothed cylsplints from the hopper and the endless belts or bands 15 strip or remove the sticks or splints from said notched or toothed cylinderor drum and convey said sticks or splints horizontally away'from the hopper and notched or toothed drum. The horizontally traveling portion of the tape 16 holds the match sticks or splints down upon the endless belts or bands 15, and thus the match sticks or splints are preserved in proper separated positions, as in Fig. 1. As thematch sticks or splints travel over the cylinder or drum 13 they pass onto the tape 17, and the two tapes 16 and 17, with the match sticks or splints properly separated and held in position, are wound into a roll by the winding roller 21, for the purpose of placing the sticks or splints in a bunch for the usual dipping operation. By the means described the winding'or rolling tapes can bevery conveniently threaded into the machine without the necessity of passing one of such tapes around the notchedor toothed cylinder, which is difficult to accomplish; and further thematch sticks or splints are stripped or removed from the notched or toothed cylinder by endless bands or tapes entirely distinct from and independent of the winding or rolling tapes 16 and 17, whereby the latter can be so disposed relatively to the hopper that they can be quickly introduced into operative position each time said winding or'rolling tapes are replaced to wind or roll a fresh bunch.

I have illustrated the endless belts or bands 15 as provided with corrugations, but I wish it to be clearly understood that I do not confine myself to this particular construction, for, as before stated, the endless bands or belts may be of any desired construction or form so long astheyoperate to strip or remove the match sticks from the notched or toothed cylinder and convey said sticks or splints away from the hopper and notched or toothed cylinder, and place the sticks between the winding or rolling tapes 16 and 17. The hopper bottom 4:, 5, and 6 is adapted to rise and fall, and also to reciprocate horizontally, which is accomplished by a cam or eccentric 25 engaging the bifurcated lower end of an arm 26 connected with apart of the hopper bottom, all in such manner that as the cam or-eccentric 25 rotates the hopper bottom is raised and lowered and reciprocated horizontally, as clearly described and shown in my application hereinbefore alluded to.

A rotary clearer-wheel 27 of metal, rubber,

or other material is journaled above the notched or toothed cylinder or drum 7 for throwing the match sticks back into the hopper andthus preventing the passage of an undue quantity of sticks to the point where the sticks are stripped or removed from the notched cylinder or drum by the endless belts or bands 15.

To stop the feed of the match sticks without stopping the traveling movement of the endless belts or bands 15, I provide a clearerframe 28 mounted on a shaft 29, and so constructed as to e'mbracethe notched cylinder or drum 7. The clearer-frame is acted upon at its lower end by a weight 30, or any other device which will tend to constantly press the upper extremity of the clearer-frame in a direction toward the center of the hopper. The clearer-frame is normally locked in the position represented in Fig. 1, so that it cannot.

operate as: a clearer to remove the match sticks from the notched or toothed cylinder prior to such sticks passing to the point where they are taken up by the endless belt-sor bands 15.

The locking mechanism for the clearerframe and the devices wherebythelocking mechanismis released for the operation of the clearer-frame constitute no part of my pres-' cut invention, and, sincetheyare described I and claimed in my application before men- 1tioned,'I do not deem it necessary to more specifically describe them in thepresent case. The rising and falling and horizontallyreciprocating hopper bottom agitate "and 'IOO straighten the match sticks in the hopper, and" I tend to move them to the notched or toothed cylinder. But the movable hopper bottom is only illustrated as typical of one mechanism suitable for agitating and straighteningthe match sticks. Any other suitable devices for this purpose may be employed, and the clearer-frame may or may not be used.

The shafts 8 and 31 of the cylinders or drums 7 and 13 are geared together in any suitable manner, preferably by a chain indicated by dotted lines 32 in Fig. 1, andengaging the chain wheels indicated by dotted lines 33 Fig.2, the purpose being to rotate the two cylinders or drums at the same speed. I do not, however, confine myself to any particular driving mechanism for rotating the two cylinders or drums at the same speed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. The combination with a hopper, of a notched or toothed cylinder 7 rotating partially therein, a cylinder 13 supported at a distance from the hopper,a pair of endless belts or bands passing round the two cylinders, a tape winding-roller 21, a tape roller 23 journaled below the said pair of endless belts and having a lower tape 17 passing upward between the endless belts and round the outer cylinder to the Winding roller, and the upper tape 16 passing horizontally between and in a plane above the endless belts or bands and round the outer cylinder to the tape winding roller, said upper tape serving to hold the match splints down upon the endless belts between said toothed and outer cylinders, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a hopper, of a notched or toothed cylinder 7 rotating partially therein, a cylinder 13 supported at a dis tanoe from the hopper, a pair of endless belts or bands passing round the two cylinders, a tape winding roller 21, a tape roller 23*- journaled below said pair of endless belts and having a lower tape 17 passing upward between the belts and round the outer cylinder to the tape winding roller, the upper tape 16 passing horizontally between and in a plane above the endless belts and round the outer cylinder to the tape winding roller, said upper tape serving to hold the match splints down upon the belts between the said cylinders, and a reciprocating hopper bottom which moves the match splints directly into engagement with the belt-supportin g toothed cylinder which rotates partially in the hopper, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a hopper, of a notched or toothed cylinder 7 rotating partially therein, an outer cylinder 13 supported at a distance from the hopper, a pair of endless belts or bands 15 passing round the two cylinders, a swinging arm 22 carrying a tape winding roller which is rotated by the action of the outer cylinder, a lower tape 17 passing upward between the two endless belts and round the outer cylinder to the tape winding roller, a guide 19 arranged in juxtaposition to the hopper, an upper tape 16 passing horizontally between and in a plane above the endless belts for holding the match splints down thereupon between the said cylinders, and a reciprocating hopper bottom which moves the match splints directly into engagement with the belt-supporting toothed cylinder which rotates partially in the hopper, substantially as described. a

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set myrhand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWARD H. EISENHART. Witnesses:

ALBERT H. NORRIS, G. W. REA. 

